Varicose veins affect both men and women and tend to be more of a problem as we get older. Younger people, especially women who have been through pregnancy, are also vulnerable to those larger, twisted blood vessels that stick out from the skin. So what causes them and – more importantly – how do you get rid of them?
Varicose veins are dilated, swollen veins in the legs. They may initially be small but can often progress to become very visible, appearing blue, twisted and bulgy. However, no matter what the size of the varicose vein they can cause aching, heaviness, itchiness and swelling in the legs. For some sufferers, if left untreated, varicose veins can cause changes to the skin resulting in poor healing, rashes, discolouration, and skin ulcers in the lower legs. Varicose veins can be unsightly and can dramatically limit your quality of life and the health of your legs.
Even so, many sufferers put off seeking treatment; often a result of misconceptions about treatment – many people with varicose veins remember seeing a parent or grandparent go through invasive, painful vein-stripping surgery and think that’s the only option.
Fortunately, that is no longer the case. There are now a number of very effective ways to treat varicose veins that are non-invasive and minimally painful. They no longer require days of downtime or discomfort – in fact, most of our vein treatments are walk-in/walk-out. This makes them much easier to fit into a busy schedule.
Established in 1994, the Skin Institute developed a veins team that now treat patients from many of our 18 clinics nationwide, and we have years of experience diagnosing and treating vein conditions, the majority of which are treated without surgery.
The published research is very clear that the most appropriate treatments now are not surgical.
In fact, the long-term effectiveness of non-surgical treatment of veins is over 90%, compared to surgical methods that have a long-term effectiveness of less than 70%.
Being on your feet a lot can exacerbate the problem; pregnancy also tends to make it worse. But neither of these will usually cause varicose veins – the tendency is inherited.
It runs in the family.
Skin Institute offers veins assessments without referral from your GP, and diagnosis is made via a clinical exam and ultrasound. Once diagnosed, the most appropriate treatment will be recommended based on the findings of the ultrasound.
If your veins are holding you back, one of Skin Institute’s not-so-scary treatment options could be the solution.
